Ax construction



June a 1924. I 1,496,250

Y J. E. VAN SLETT Ax- CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 16. 1923 m 16 m 6 f a gwuenfoz Patented June 3, 1924.

JOSEPH E. VAN SLETT,

i esters.

OF MILAN, W'ISCONSEIN.

AX CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed February 16, 1823.

useful Improvements in AK Construction, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ax construction and what might be called a three-in-one as.

The main object of the invention is to coir. struct the head of the ax in such a manner that different sized blades may quickly and easily be exchanged for different uses of the The lumberman generally has occasion to use two or more different kinds of axes in felling timber. He has, for instance, first to clear away the brush wood and then to cut smaller timber before he finally can reach timber of larger size. Ordinarily a lumberman is then compelled to carry two or more axes suitable for the different uses, which not only adds to his pack, but is also quite expensive. Should, for instance, the cutting edge of one an be damaged, he must provide himself with a reserve ax to replace the same, or else lose time in regrinding his damaged ax.

The present invention now aims at furnishing one head and one handle, and a plurality of interchangeable blades of different sizes and shapes. In this manner, when one blade is damaged it would only take a matter of a minute or two to replace the same by another blade of the same character.

Another advantage is, that in cutting brushwood of small diameter, a long blade may be used, which is very easily exchanged for a short blade when timber of heavier growth has to be out.

Another advantage is that the lumberman may carry several blades that have been sharpened beforehand, and exchange his dull blade for a sharp one whenever needed, and also while he is using his ax, his spare blades might be sharpened in the meantime.

Another advantage is that the head itself is preferably made of soft steel or iron, while cutlery steel would be used for the blades, which are comparatively thin, or preferably of one thickness throughout and only sharp ened at the edges.

Still another advantage is that the same blade, if for instance one corner thereof has been broken, may be reversed in the head Serial No. 619,412.

or holder, so that the sharp corner may be ositioned to its best advantage.

In the accompanying drawing, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated; and

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the ax assembled with a comparatively long blade in position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with short blade in the holder; and

Figure 3 is a transverse section along line 33 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 represents the helve or handle of the ax and numeral 11 shows the head or holder for the blade. This head may be made out of rolled iron or mild steel of even thickness, as best seen in Figure 2, and bent double into U- shape, wide at its back as at 12 and narrower at its open end as at 13. In the tapered aperture 14 thus formed between the two sides and the back of the head is inserted the forward end of the handle 10 to fit tightly therein. The two forward edges 13 of the head are preferably positioned with their inner surfaces parallel to form jaws and provided with a plurality of apertures 15 adapted to receive screws 16. These apertures are preferably smooth bored and countersunk in one jaw and tapped in the opposite j aw of .the head. The tapping is pref erably made to alternate with the smooth bore in the same jaw, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. The two outer apertures or screw holes are smooth in the near jaw and tapped in the opposite jaw, while the middle aperture is tapped in thenear jaw and smooth in'the opposite jaw. 'Between these parallel edges oi' jaws 13, the blades of the ax are adapted to fit and each blade is provided with holes spaced apart to correspond with the spacing of the apertures 15 in the head 11. The blades are also made of rolled material so as to have unifrom thickness throughout, and after having been cut to size are sharpened to an edge 22 at the forward side, as seen in Figure 3.

In Figure 2 is shown a short blade 17 inserted in the head 11, which is substantially of the same length at its back as the length of the head 11, but is broadened out in inverted \l-shape so as to form a comparatively long edge 18. With the head having three apertures 15, this blade is also provided with the same number of apertures for the screws 16 and is rigidly secured in the head by tightening these screws therein. V -In Figure 1 is shown a longer blade which is inserted to extend in the length direction of the ax and is provided with an additional screw hole 20 t the number of apertures furnished in the head 11. With the blade 19 secured in the position shown in Figure 1, this extension in the length direction of the blade is equivalent to providing an ax with a longer handle.

Should now a corner of the blade be broken when used, it is an easy matter to loosen the screws 16 and reverse the blade 5 19 in the head 11, so that what has before been the rear end of the blade, then becomes the front end thereof, whereupon it'is secured in the same manner as before, the screw hole 20 then engaging with the rearmost screw 16 in the head.

At times it might also be found advantageous to position the blade 19 as indicated by the dotted lines A and B in Figure 1; tha'tis to say, with the blade retracted along the handle 10. I

. Each head and handle is preferably pro vided with a set of three or more blades of different length so that if, for instance, the blade 17 in Figure 2 represents a length on the edge 18 of six inches, the blade 19 may have a length at its cutting edge 22 of eight inches, whilea third blade may have a cutting edge of about ten inches length, asrepresented by the full line forward end ofiblade 19 and the dotted rear ,line B in Figure 1. A blade of this length would then be provided. with five screw holes of which the foremost and rearmost ones 20 and 21 respectively might be idle at the time, or this ten-inch blade may be positioned with two open holes beyond one end of the head 11.

Itiis evident that blades of other shapes than thoseindicated in the drawing may also be used.

The lumberman provided with an ax of this character and, having a set of blades of the respective lengths of six, eight and ten inches would use the ten-inch blade in his ax for cutting fine brush and soft wood trees up to six or eight inches diameter. This blade would be exchanged for an eightinch blade for cutting hard wood brush and small timber, while the six-inch blade would be inserted for general use, the same as for an ordinary ax.

It will now be evident that axes of this character would be cheaper to manufacture than axes of ordinary construction, as only the blades should be made of steel of superior qualities, while the head can be made of a much cheaper grade or material. Much time would be gained by the lumberman provided with an ax of this character, as instead of repairing a damaged ax, he can now quickly exchange one blade for another and he would have a much lighter load to carry to and from his work, than if it were necessary for him to have several axes of different shapes and sizes.

It is evident that this ax is not only intended for the use of lumbermen, but for farmers and new settlers as well as for generalutility in the household.

Having thus described the what is claimed as new is:

In an ax construction, the combination of a head and a set of detachable blades, said head consisting of a U-shaped metallic holder for a handle, the sides of said head forming parallel jaws, each of said blades being adapted to fit tightly in said jaws, means for securing the blades firmly in the jaws, said means including screws tapped in one of said jaws and corresponding apertures being provided in the other of said jaws and in said blade "for the screws, said apertures being uniformly spaced while blades of greater length than said head are provided with normally open apertures in addition to the number provided in the head, thereby permitting adjustment and invention the reversing of the blades in the head.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH E. VAN SLETT. [us] 

